BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR:
The School Board approved the Proposed Final Budget presentation with a 3.4% tax increase as a “worst-case” scenario (millage increase of 3.944 mills for a new millage rate of 119.944 mills). If the budget remained as is, this would result in a real estate tax increase of roughly $135.18 to the average property owner. The increase may still be adjusted to a lower rate, however it cannot exceed this amount at final budget.
The biggest driving force behind the expenditure budget increase is an increase in mandated special education costs of $393,725, increases in heating oil and vehicle fuel costs of $424,375 through consortium price increases, and an increase in state mandated retirement expenses of more than $250,000.
This budget shows the maximum potential tax increase allowable for the 2022-2023 year. The School Board and District Administration will continue to work toward making additional reductions to our expenditures or increases to our revenues for next year to limit any increase for taxpayers when the Final Budget is approved.
Final Budget is scheduled for a vote by the School Board on June 1.
For the details of all presentations regarding next year's budget, click on this link: Budget Highlight Info.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are contacting the School Board of Directors, please use [email protected] - the email will be directed to all school board members and Dr. O'Connell.
UPCOMING SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE (in person meetings):
04/27/22 - Facilities Committee - 6:30PM - PHS Library - CANCELLED
04/27/22 - Athletics Committee - 7:30PM - PHS Library - CANCELLED
05/04/22 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7PM - PHS Auditorium
05/11/22 - Educational Programs & Services - 6:30PM - PHS Library
05/16/22 - Fiscal Oversight Committee - 9AM - DO Conf. Room
05/18/22 - Policy Committee - 5:30PM - PHS Library
05/18/22 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7PM - PHS Auditorium
05/19/22 - Joint Operating Committee (JOC) - 8PM - Tech School
05/25/22 - Facilities Committee - 6:30PM - PHS Library
05/25/22 - Athletics Committee - 7:30PM - PHS Library
Thank you for attending our public meetings. We look forward to your involvement. Please follow directions for public comment posted with the meeting agenda.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PALMS FOR RECEIVING THE DISTRICT X1 MICHAEL MEILINGER AWARD!
This award is given to the school in District XI that has demonstrated superior sportsmanship throughout the year. The award is based on information received from the officials at sporting events having evaluated the sportsmanship of athletes, coaches and fans. CONGRATS PALMS FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS IN THIS AREA! Go Pirates!
Photo: Athletic Director, Brian Gilbert and Principal, Dr. Karl Scheibenhofer
GREAT JOB SPRINGFIELD PANTHERS!
On Wednesday, the 4th and 5th Grade Reading Olympics team from Springfield Elementary School participated in Virtual Reading Olympics. Our students demonstrated outstanding effort and tremendous team collaboration.
Congratulations to our students who generated 75,410 points! ! They will be awarded BLUE RIBBONS!
Congratulations to the students and to the advisors, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Crews! Great work team!
HELP WANTED AT PSD:
Part-Time Food Handler: Part-time, 6 hours per day (7:30 am to 1:30 pm), 10 month, Food Handler position available starting the beginning of the 2022/2023 school year at Palisades Middle School. Candidate must be able to complete multiple tasks, prepare food, cook meals, serve the student meals, and assist with routine kitchen tasks such as operating kitchen equipment and daily clean-up. Candidate must be willing to become certified in Serv-Safe within the first six months of employment.
Interested candidates should send via Recruit and Hire athttps://palisades.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=273: their letter of interest, application, resume and disclosure form(s) and clearances (current within the past 12 months of the closing date of the posting: Act 24, 34, 114 and 151). Letters of interest can be addressed to Mr. Gerry Giarratana, Director of Food/Warehouse/Transportation. Deadline to apply is May 2, 2022.
Palisades requires a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment.
Current employees may submit a bid form.
Link to clearances: https://www.palisd.org/our_district/employment_opportunities/employment_forms_clearances/
EOE
REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNER - UPPER BUCKS YMCA!
Elementary-Aged Students Welcome! Register Today: Register Link
Looking for a job this summer? Check out this link from the YMCA Camp Program - Apply Today
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OFFERED: Adult Volleyball and All Ages Tennis Information is posted on our Community School Programs page. Also, we are adding Hypnosis Classes for quitting smoking, eating healthier and achieving a more restful sleep! Sessions coming on May 18th
THIS JUST ADDED:
Dog Training Classes start on Wednesday, April 27th through Wednesday, May 25th from 7:30-8:30PM in the PHS Gold Gym - please email [email protected] to register.
Furry friends over 6 month old welcome! This is a 5 week course and cost is $125.
EXCITING NEWS FROM THE ART DEPARTMENT...
Greeting Palisades Families!
The students and I are SO excited to be sharing this news!
We are planning and preparing for our LIVE and in-person K-8th grade Art Show!
The Art Show is April 28, 6-8 pm at PALMS.
We are in NEED of volunteers to help label and pack up artwork, set up for the show and take down the artwork after the show. Please click the link below if you are interested in signing up. No art experience necessary. Any amount of time is very much appreciated!
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR PCF's ANNUAL 5K AND 1MI WALK - Saturday, May 14th; registration information is linked below:
UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE RACE:
The race will begin and end on the high school track - the majority of the course is a cross country course run on the beautiful fields of the Palisades campus. Our walkers will use the stadium for their 1 mile walk. All participants can register in advance using the link below or on the day of the event (at 7:30AM) at the front of the high school.
Race starts at 9AM
Please use this link for pre-registration: Sign Up for the PCF 5K and 1 Mile Walk
WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US ON SATURDAY, MAY 14TH!
All of the proceeds from this event support Arts, Education and Wellness in the Palisades community! WE ARE HERE FOR PALISADES!
Click on this link for the golf event flyer: Golfflyer2022.pdf
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Graduation Date for the Class of 2022:
The graduation date for the Class of 2022 will be Friday, June 3rd at 5:30 PM in Walter T. Rohrer stadium. More information will be forthcoming. Senior parents/guardians, please see the survey that was emailed to you yesterday for rain date options. Your input is needed! Survey closes at 6PM on Monday, April 25th.
More Prom 2022 Information
This year’s Junior and Senior Prom will take place on Monday, May 16th from 6:00-9:00 PM at The Steel Club in Hellertown. On May 16th, ALL juniors and seniors will be dismissed from school at the end of period 2. In addition, on Tuesday May 17th, ALL juniors and seniors will be given a Late Arrival, which means they will need to report for the start of their period 2 classes at 9:17 AM.
Planning this year’s prom presented unique challenges for the Student Gov’t leaders, advisors and the administration. During the Fall of 2021, when we needed to secure a facility, masking and availability of outdoor facilities were challenging factors we needed to navigate. The desire of the students was to have a maskless prom and we did not know what restrictions would be in-place during the spring of 2022. Therefore, we agreed that a venue with outdoor seating and dancing would be best. The students visited a few venues with outdoor seating accommodations and recommended The Steel Club.
Although a Monday prom is different and unique, our students are excited to have a first class facility, beautiful setting and spend time with their friends. In the future, we plan to return to a Friday or Saturday prom.
MORE INFO...Prom season is upon us! We're sure that you see and hear the excitement more than we do and that's why we're asking for your help. If you hear or feel that a student is in need of support finding a prom dress, please reach out to the guidance office or high school administrators. We have a nice selection of dresses all ready for this special occasion!
IN OTHER NEWS...Smigo Places in Statewide PSA Video Competition
The PA DUI Association held a statewide Public Service Announcement (PSA) video contest for high school students. Junior, Thomas Smigo, placed 3rd for his submission among all entries statewide! Congratulations, Tom!
His entry won $5,000 for the high school to bring attention to driver safety!
Here is the video submission: https://youtu.be/IO7w4Lq2xP4
FBLA State Leadership Conference
The following students participated in the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Hershey. The following students completed presentations, assessments and projects as components of their competitions.
Sarah Goggin competed in Business Communication, Camila O'Donnell competed and placed 7th in Business Ethics, and Collin Schaufele competed and placed 8th in Coding & Programming.
Student Art Exhibit
Palisades High School students Nicole Schantz, Mary Aherne, Hailey Roher and Nik Wasser are currently exhibiting artwork at Mansfield University's annual Master & Grasshopper Exhibit. The exhibit allows for students to show artwork alongside their current teachers. The show is on display from April 4th-28th at the Loomis Gallery on campus. The award reception will be held Friday, April 22nd. Anyone in the area can check it out. Click this link for the virtual gallery.
High School Spring Sports
Our spring sports seasons are in full swing. Click this link for a list of upcoming competitions.
On April 9th, the Pirate Invitational Track & Field was held at Palisades High School. Thomas Smigo broke the school record in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:22.47
The following athletes won first place in their events in the meet:
Morgan Magditch- 1st place in the 100 hurdles, Charlotte Houghton- 1st pace in the 400 meters, Paige Casterline- 1st place in the Long Jump and the High Jump, Skylar Donaldson- 1st place in the pole vault, Katelyn Shoemaker- 1st place in the discus, Hugh Salva- 1st place in the long jump, Trevor Johnson- 1st place in the triple jump, Nate Carr- 1st place in the shot put.
Congratulations to Karlye Teman, freshman softball player, who pitched her second no hitter of the softball season versus Salisbury HS on April 5th.
Yesterday during the track meet versus Northwestern Lehigh HS, Thomas Smigo set a school record in the 800m race with a 2:00.4 time. The previous record was 2:00.5 by Carl Kemmerer in 1982.
Palisades Key Club is excited to sponsor an Arbor Day Tree Planting Event
This year, Palisades Key Club will be planting trees on Arbor Day, April 29. Come out to Nockamixon State Park, Main Entrance off Rte 563, by Parking Lot #1 from 3:00 - 6:00pm. We have 250 trees, 200 silky dogwood and 50 blue spruce to give away and plant.
We would like to get as many different community organizations involved in this event as possible. If you are part of a Boy Scout/Girl Scout troop, a youth group, a firehouse, church, community group or any other social organization, we would like your help to spread the word about the tree planting event. Please contact Jeremy Wolf, the Key Club adviser for Palisades High School at [email protected] if you would like to get involved.
Photos above were taken of high school students and teachers planting today in honor of Earth Day 2022!
Voter Registration Information
The Palisades High School Social Studies department is encouraging all students who will be 18-years-old by the time of the May 17th, 2022 election to register to vote!
Interested students can register to vote online with the Pennsylvania Department of State using the link below:
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx
Additionally, there is a helpful video linked below to assist you in completing the online voter registration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_CfBtosmVk
Deadline Alert: May 2, 2022 is the last day to register before the May 17th election!
For Up to the Minute Athletics News, follow @PSDAthletics on Twitter!
PALISADES FAMILIES ARE INVITED TO THIS PRESENTATION...Dr. Dahlsgaard visited our school a couple of years ago:
Is your child stressed over the pressures of school? Is your child anxious when confronting a developmentally appropriate challenge? Does your child have difficulty managing their fears and worries? Do you find yourself worrying about these things, too, and wonder how you can best help your child?
Join us on Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Pennridge High School Auditorium for The Science of Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety and Stress, presented by Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard.
Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard will share scientifically-based strategies to help better understand and manage your child's stresses and anxieties. As a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for child anxiety disorders, Dr. Dahlsgaard will describe what is normal versus problematic anxiety and detail positive parenting strategies that will help you and your child to connect and thrive.
Registration Form
For More Info and Drop Off Locations: Take Back Locations Flyer 4.30.22.pdf
COMMUNITY CORNER:
JOIN THE YOUTH CLIMATE SUMMIT:
The Nurture Nature Center in Easton is hosting its annual Youth Climate Summit for middle and high school students on Saturday, April 30th.
PHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TURNS 70!
Mark Your Calendar! June 18, 2022 is the 70th Anniversary of the Alumni Association of Palisades!
Click here for more information about the event: PHS Alumni 70th Anniversary.pdf
Please click here for flyer and registration information: TeensOnCampusFlyer2022.pdf
For Registration and Other Information, please click on this flyer: Almost Home Flyer - Spring 2022 Registration NEW.pdf
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Click on the Link Below to Register for Spring 2022 Baseball and Co-Ed Tee Ball at Silver Creek and to Select Your Volunteer Shift During our 2022 Major Development Efforts:
Follow this link to fill out the application: Click Here for Application and Info